Legion Of Doom?

[AROS]

From my inbox today from The Athletic...

Legion of Doom?

The most dominant defense of the 2010s hailed from Seattle. It's still early, but Mike Macdonald's Seahawks could be this decade's version. In a four-year span from 2012 to 2015, the Legion of Boom allowed nearly four fewer points than any other team (15.7 per game), while helping the Seahawks reach two Super Bowl appearances. Pete Carroll's simplified Cover 3 scheme paired with unparalleled execution from stars like Bobby Wagner, Kam Chancellor, Earl Thomas and Richard Sherman. It's still early, but this Seahawks defense might be another monster. Limiting the run was key to Carroll's defense, as they allowed just 3.8 yards per carry from 2012-2015. It's early, but Macdonald's group has been better this season. From Weeks 1 to 9, Seattle was allowing 3.5 yards per rush, fewest in the NFL. This Seattle group is also holding teams to under 20 points per game (fifth-best mark), but it seems to lack the big-name stars. That could change. Here's our Seahawks beat reporter, Michael-Shawn Dugar, to explain. "The defense is not built around one uniquely unstoppable edge rusher, a do-it-all linebacker or a shutdown defensive back. Any one of the 11 players is liable to make an impact play in coverage or in the backfield on any given snap ... "Seattle has a few blue-chip players who set the tone weekly, but facing this unit is like walking into a hornet’s nest and being swarmed from every direction." They might not be familiar names in most households, but opposing coordinators are well aware of defensive linemen Leonard Williams and Byron Murphy II, who pair with talented young defensive backs like corner Devon Witherspoon and safeties Ty Okada and Nick Emmanwori. By the second quarter of yesterday's game, the Seahawks defense had already scored two touchdowns — both by DeMarcus Lawrence — and Seattle led 28-0. They finished with five sacks, 10 tackles for a loss and 10 pass breakups. Sam Darnold needed to complete just 10 of 12 passes in their 44-22 win against Arizona. Full takeaways here. Now 7-2, Seattle's quietly won seven of its last eight games to sit tied for first atop the NFC.

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Its biggest test comes next Sunday, when the Seahawks visit the 7-2 Rams. A win could decide the NFC West, potentially even the conference. A strong performance would also give Macdonald's defense the stamp of legitimacy that the 2012 Seahawks got when beating Tom Brady's Patriots. (Those highlights are worth watching.)

 

[AROS]

Yesterday my girl said "I don't know all these player's names yet, but I'm sure learning them."

 

[MORGULON]

Kobe Bryant was drilling people

 

[Polk738]

One of the biggest differences I'm noticing with Mike's defense over the LOB is with the LOB you had legit All-pro's and pro-bowlers EVERYWHERE on that defense, with Mike's group it doesn't seem like one player is really dominating but EVERYONE is contributing even the practice squad guys, I think Chenna and Murphy are leading the team with 5.5 sacks but I think they said today that 15 different players on the defense have a sack, think about how crazy that is when you're one of the least blitzing teams in the league but are second in sacks with 32. I think this is one of the best coaching staffs the team has ever had, to have significant injuries to key players like Reed, Love, and Jones but still have a dominant performance out of the back-ups really says about how Mike is getting the most out of his players.

 

[chris98251]

We knew Earl in the secondary, after that Browner, Kam, and Sherm were where did they come froms, bring in F.A.s in our Dline and move Bryant to the edge and we were going what, then drafting light MLB's and a guy from Utah at that.

Nobody knew those guys, we came to love them, it took a Bashing of the Franken Forehead in front if a National audience to really introduce them. That and a Pile of Crow so high Traffic controllers had to devert flight paths for all the mediots out there to eat cold, LOB took all the heat out of NY that night and were glowing in it for months afterwards.

 

[SocialParasite]

One of the biggest differences I'm noticing with Mike's defense over the LOB is with the LOB you had legit All-pro's and pro-bowlers EVERYWHERE on that defense, with Mike's group it doesn't seem like one player is really dominating but EVERYONE is contributing even the practice squad guys, I think Chenna and Murphy are leading the team with 5.5 sacks but I think they said today that 15 different players on the defense have a sack, think about how crazy that is when you're one of the least blitzing teams in the league but are second in sacks with 32. I think this is one of the best coaching staffs the team has ever had, to have significant injuries to key players like Reed, Love, and Jones but still have a dominant performance out of the back-ups really says about how Mike is getting the most out of his players.

It seems to be a sort of reversal, the talent that the team had during the L.O.B years (Sherm, ETIII, Kam, Wags, Wright, Avril, and Bennett) elevated the scheme, whereas now, Macdonald's scheme is elevating the players.

 

[cymatica]

Yesterday my girl said "I don't know all these player's names yet, but I'm sure learning them."

I was playing Madden and adjusting the roster when I stumbled upon linebacker Chazz Surratt. I seriously thought it was a fake player and that a game developer was trolling

 

[cymatica]

It seems to be a sort of reversal, the talent that the team had during the L.O.B years (Sherm, ETIII, Kam, Wags, Wright, Avril, and Bennett) elevated the scheme, whereas now, Macdonald's scheme is elevating the players.

I think that scheme actually did elevate the players at that time. The league adjusted to that scheme and Carroll didn't because he lost most of his assistant coaches that helped create it.

 

[Fox0r]

I was playing Madden and adjusting the roster when I stumbled upon linebacker Chazz Surratt. I seriously thought it was a fake player and that a game developer was trolling

Not to derail the thread, but is Madden worth getting this year?

 

[cymatica]

Not to derail the thread, but is Madden worth getting this year?

Depends. It's basically the same game with a roster update. I don't play MUT, just online H2H so to me $60 is worth it because it's the only online competitive football game.

If you want a good baseball game try Super Mega Baseball 4. That's probably the best online sports game hands down and you can always find a match. Teams are 100% customizable (player names, intro songs, batting stance, facial expressions, uniforms, team names and logos, stadium sfx) and you get weekly online resets. You pick a team for a week in a league with 12 other layers I think fighting for best record. When it resets, each default team gets a handful of roster changes which affects the team stats, so it stays fresh every week.

 

[PateratoWilson]

It seems to be a sort of reversal, the talent that the team had during the L.O.B years (Sherm, ETIII, Kam, Wags, Wright, Avril, and Bennett) elevated the scheme, whereas now, Macdonald's scheme is elevating the players.

Well put.

And the buy in is there… you can tell that in the players’ reactions with positive plays with each other.

MM’s stones and approach is something I couldn’t wait for. We aren’t going undefeated from here out but man are we much different “already” from the previous regime.

 

[hawks85]

Everyone loved the LOB including me, but I prefer Coach Mike's defense.

 

[kidhawk]

I know our defense is new and shiny, and don’t get me wrong because I absolutely LOVE the players and the scheme but they have yet to reach that level where they are the best of the best. They can get there just not quite yet. I do love what we are building on that side of the ball and teams are learning that this defense is no joke.

 

[AROS]

I don’t like comparing the two defenses. We are creating our own history. The LOB will always be one of the best defenses to ever play the game and there’s no reason why someday folks might not say the same thing about the 2025-(202?) Seahawks defense.

 

[RehireMora]

1st in the NFC just sounds awesome! A lot of history will be made this year, enjoy it!

 

[flv2]

From my inbox today from The Athletic...

Legion of Doom?...

You can't call them the Road Warriors like everyone else does?

...followed by

 

[Nv_Hawks]

Just listen to the player talk about MM and how brilliant he is. How they trust his calls and he’s always correct in putting them in position to win.

 

[chris98251]

You can't call them the Road Warriors like everyone else does?

...followed by

Hmmm Road Warriors, have not heard them called that...

The whole team mentioned in that vein but but the defense.

 

[rigelian]

I knew that McDonalds scheme was special when we played the Ravens two?? years ago. Our offense had no idea where to go. It felt like the defenders just materialized out of thin air blocking every escape route or check down. Needless to say, I was excited when we went after McDonald and as our next coach.

 

[MORGULON]

I knew that McDonalds scheme was special when we played the Ravens two?? years ago. Our offense had no idea where to go. It felt like the defenders just materialized out of thin air blocking every escape route or check down. Needless to say, I was excited when we went after McDonald and as our next coach.

Me too. It was pretty evident to me early on that Seattle was Not winning that game